manufacturing
Penn physicists develop scalable method for making graphene
PHILADELPHIA — New research from the University of Pennsylvania demonstrates a more consistent and cost-effective method for making graphene, the atomic-scale material that has promising applications in a variety of fields, and was the subject of…
Making solar panels with cleaner, greener technology
Mention solar energy, and most people think “squeaky clean, pollution-free.” The reality of making solar panels with existing technology, however, is much different, involving use of potentially toxic substances and lots of energy. That could change…
Scaling up: The future of nanoscience
In the late 1950s, Richard Feynman famously imagined a science where researchers and engineers could achieve remarkable feats by manipulating matter and creating structures all the way down to the level of individual atoms.
Now, over fifty years a…
Intricate, curving 3-D nanostructures created using capillary action forces
ANN ARBOR, Mich.—Twisting spires, concentric rings, and gracefully bending petals are a few of the new three-dimensional shapes that University of Michigan engineers can make from carbon nanotubes using a new manufacturing process.
The proce…
Edges of magnetic tape key to boosting data density
engineers have examined in unprecedented detail a key manufacturing step that could improve one of the worlds most popular data storage materials: magnetic tape. How a tape is cut in the factory plays a major role in how much data it can hold — and whether the $6 billion American magnetic tape industry will be able to maintain its market share in the future, according to the comprehensive study.<
Nerve-Destroying Chemicals are Model for Neurodegenerative Diseases
Tiny motor proteins delivering vital nutrients along the length of nerves are a target for two common chemicals known for their neurotoxicity, says a Medical College of Georgia researcher. Acrylamides – used in water purification, paper manufacturing, mining and recently found in potato chips, French fries, baked cereals and other carbohydrates cooked at high temperatures – and hexanes — an organic solvent used in glues, paints and shoe manufacturing – can shut down these motor proteins, says Dr. Dale W. Sickles, MCG neurotoxicologist.